What other birds can be raised along side chickens? What cant?

[cupman]

I have heard turkeys run a high risk of getting a disease from chickens that will kill them. I would love to get myself a half dozen turkeys or so and raise them up and eat them but if I have lots of free ranging chickens do they run the risk of getting the disease? I figure the chickens have a good chance of walking past the turkey coop. I have read that guinea fowl are compatible with chickens and they will even house together well. Has anyone done this? I am strongly considering adding some guinea to my flock of chickens in the near future or possibly wait till next spring. Any other birds you raise together with chickens? Peacocks? Ducks? Geese? I'd love to hear your stories.

 

[haemony]

Haven't done this but here is a recent thread on this subject. I was just reading through it. DH wants guinea fowl but I am undecided.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=450204

There is also a FAQ

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=312682

 

[al6517]

Peafowl do just fine along with chickens if you can stand all the racket the make. I have always been against keeping turkeys on the same ground as chickens but there are so many people who don't care and do it anyway.

 

[opalwednesday]

i think that it can be different for everybody, depending on whether or not the flock grew up together, but at my ranch the chickens and geese do not get along. something it's alright during free range time but if the geese are feeling saucy they go after the chickens, and vice versa. my cats and dogs get along just fine though, i often tie up one of the dogs to the barn to keep birds of prey away.

 

[koonaone]

Hi cupman

I don't know about birds but, my very best ecological mix was 7 horses, 2 goats, 18 lambs, and 37 hens.

I would break open 7 bales of alfalpha out on the snow.

The hens would get right in there for leaf, being out all the time as they were.

I let the milk goats out for 15 minuets of highgrade.

Then I let the lambs out for 1/2 hour.

about then I would let the horses in for cleanup.

The chickens even in the most harsh weather would peck and scratch away

kickin over hay and turds alike.

I did this all on my spring garden site.

When the snow went, I put 2 lbs of worms on it. (kept the chickens out)

The lamb, eggs, milk, cheese, chicken, etc from that winter were unsurpased.

The garden that summer was outstanding considering it was

just a piece of pasture the year before.

 

[saddina]

There are diseases various poultry can swap. The odds in a closed backyard flock is very low. If you're willing to keep a barnyard mix in one area, and give everyond plenty of room it can work, just prepaired that they may squabble and you may need to section some off anyways.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I've been raising turks with my chickens for a couple years and have never had a problem. I think its blackhead disease the turkey get, and I also believe they get it from the soil not from the chickens. As in, you could get turkeys and have never had a chicken, but the turkeys could still get blackhead. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. There are diseases to which chickens and other fowl are succeptible and can swap back and forth though...